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ITV News reporter Lewis Vaughan-Jones is travelling on the 07.06 train from Paddington to Dawlish. The railway line in Devon had been closed following recent storm damage, leaving travellers unable to reach Devon and Cornwall directly by train.

After weeks of work by a 300-strong team, Network Rail (NR) has been able to restore the badly-damaged line at Dawlish in Devon.

Then: The Dawlish line on 5th February this year. Credit: PA Wire

The coast-hugging line at Dawlish bore the brunt of the severe weather this winter, with the sea wall breached and the line badly damaged on 4th February.

This led to the line linking Exeter St Davids with Newton Abbot, Plymouth and Penzance to close and saw the start of a huge repair job by NR.Large teams of workers moved in to start the massive clear up.

Governments have been urged to prepare for the risks of climate change such as higher sea levels, and adapt to the changing weather patterns it may bring.

In Somerset today residents celebrated as dredging started in the River Parret, as part of the Environment Agency's 'Flood Action Plan'. Measures such as dredging could become more common, as Dan Rivers reports.

The start of dredging the Somerset Levels is "an important milestone" in the Government's attempts to repair the country after December and January's floods.

Dr Paul Leinster, Chief Executive at the Environment Agency, said:

Today is an important milestone in the work to reduce the risk of flooding to people, property and land in Somerset and we welcome the additional money from Government that has allowed us to undertake this further dredging.